


To Protect a Friend

by penninghistory



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types, Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:40:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penninghistory/pseuds/penninghistory
Summary: When Washington suffers a melancholic attack, he asks Theodosia and Billy to stay and help him figure out the cause of the attack. When things so south, however, it leaves one hurt, and one struggling to find the right words to say to help numb the pain.
Kudos: 5





	To Protect a Friend

It had started and ended in a moment. Billy had joked about a bad hand and was on his back, Washington’s hands squeezing his throat.  
Theodosia stood instantly, her hands curled into fists blood rushing in her ears, blocking out any of the Commander’s words before, finally, he let go, grabbing his cloak and leaving. Theo’s breaths came in quick, short gasps as she tried to piece together what had happened, what had gone wrong to make him so angry. She was shaking, her throat tight. She looked around the tent, wondering what ingredients they had to make a tea or anything that would help the two of them calm down. She moved towards Billy, hating the fact that he flinched when she touched his shoulder. “It’s ok, it’s ok,” she said, gently, her hands moving to his face to wipe away stray tears with her thumbs. “I’m so sorry,” she continued, moving to gently tilt the man’s chin upward so she could see if there was any bruising, any open wounds that needed to be taken care of. “That should have never happened. No matter what you had said, he had no right to hurt you in that manner.”  
She turned to look around at the mess, one that she shoved out of her mind. “Take a seat, please. But, please, tell me where you keep the coffee, tea, ale?”  
Billy slowly moved towards a seat and looked at her in mild confusion. “Why, ma’am?”  
“None of that ma’am business, please, call me Theo. And I only want to know because I figured some tea will help us calm down. I know my nerves are still on high alert, and I have a feeling that you need something other than Barbados rum to help settle you down.”  
More confused than anything, Billy pointed to a drawer, and Theo went to it, grabbing coffee and then going to brew it. She took a deep breath and then glanced over at Billy. He watched her from his chair, and she wondered what thoughts were going through his mind.  
“When my mother was a child,” she started, “she lived on the island of Nassau with her father, and a man named Edward Kenway. Kenway was the captain of the Jackdaw and his quartermaster, a man named Adewale. Adewale was a maroon, a strong man that wore the mark of a slave, but had the hands of a pirate, or sailor.”  
When the coffee was made, she stood and gently poured two cups before handing one to Billy and continuing her story.  
“She used to tell me stories of that man, Adewale, and the mark that he would forever leave on her life. She was an abolitionist, very much against the slave trade. Her best friend, and one of my uncles, was a man named Jack Weeks. A freedman told me from the moment I was old enough to understand his words that it would never matter what skin tone a person was- it was the strength of their character that mattered the most. Where they put their heart, what good they did to help correct the evils.” She paused and looked at him. He seemed confused by the story, so she chuckled and went to clarify.  
“I followed my mother’s footsteps into this, not my father’s. My father was a privateer by trade, helping the British in the Frech and Indian war. My mother stood beside Colonel George Monro at Fort Fredrick when the man was killed. I don’t think my mother was ever really the same after that. I guess what I’m trying to tell you is; I want to be your friend, if not someone you can come vent too. Life is hard out here, and if you don’t have someone to lean on, it can be twice as hard.”  
She looked away, taking a sip of her coffee as a somewhat uncomfortable silence fell. Billy copied her, and then said, quietly, “Thank you.”  
“No, no, no…” Theo looked at him. “I should be thanking you. You’ve taught me so much in the space of two years that I thought I would have never learned before.” She paused and shot him a rueful grin. “Like how to get kicked by a horse and not feel any pain.”  
They shared a laugh at that, and Billy stood, moving to his cot and pulling out a bag. “Billy, you need to be resting, what are you doing?” She stood, placing her cup down and walking over to him, gently taking his cup and putting it aside. “You have every right to want to leave, and I don’t blame you for wanting too. But there is a storm brewing outside. You could be hurt, and I won’t allow that to happen.”  
They paused and looked up as the dispatch rider entered.  
“The General’s not here,” Billy said, moving a step away from Theo. “Don’t know when he’ll be back.”  
“Do you have his letter?” the man asked. “It’s half midnight.”  
“No, sir,” Theo said, thankful to be wearing men’s clothes and not a dress, though her short hair was loose. “But, if you need to leave, then you need to leave.”  
The man nodded and went to leave. Billy and Theo shared a look before Billy called to the rider. “Wait. It’s best you wait for a half-hour and check back at midnight.”  
The man nodded and left the tent, leaving a silence except for an echo of the tent flaps closing. Billy moved towards the table, gathering Washington’s writing gear as Theo cleared the table and started to pick up the cards. They both froze and looked over to the entrance as Washington appeared there, looking from one to another. “I require fresh paper,” he said and went to hang his cloak up as Billy grabbed the paper, and then go help Theo pick up the mess.


End file.
